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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. object — an aim
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. stand — to bear
  7. ball — a great time
  8. object — a thing
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. rest — what's left
  12. foot — a measure
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mate — to breed
  16. object — to protest
  17. mate — a friend
  18. ball — a dance
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rest — a break

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com